Sandbox

Previously, our back yard was graced with a sandbox that was intended for 1.2 children. The 2x2 Ft square was just big enough for Jack and 20% of Gemma. That didn't go over well with the children, especially considering that most of the sand was busy constructing a mini hill surrounding the box. That didn't go over so well with the Lawn Nazi Nate. So we pulled the old sandbox out and grew some grass there instead. It's now a lovely little hill in the middle of our backyard.

A new sandbox was in the planning stages. I was trying to figure out a way to make it a win-win situation for the kids and the dad. How could we make something big enough for a small army of kids that also met the standards of Mr. Lawn care and his grass obsession. Lawn+sand=bad. While browsing through an artsy-fartsy kid's garden catalog, I found my answer.

We asked some farming friends if we could raid their rock pile. Let me tell you, there were some serious boulders in that corner of their field. I was like a kid in a candy store, who knew I loved rocks so much?! I was barking orders, "Nate, I want this one and this one and this one. Your back? Eh, you'll be fine" While I was cracking the whip, the poor guy had to carry out all the labor, and he did an amazing job.

We put the whole thing together inside the landscaping and outside of the lawn, thus no need to mow around it. The sandbox consists of a bunch of rocks in an odd shaped circle with a few plants thrown in around the edges to make it look natural. The artsy fartsy magazine would be proud. We now have a sandbox big enough for all of our little diggers and any neighbor kids who drop by.